2013 marks the 50th Anniversary of one of the longest running characters in the history of television, the time traveling, humanoid known as Doctor Who. So, who (no pun intended) is he and why the longevity? In simple terms, Dr. Who is a Time Lord. The good Doctor explores the universe with the help of a companion or companions using the TARDIS, a blue British police box (which was a common sight in 1963 England
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| The T.A.R.D.I.S. |
Since first appearing on the BBC, there have been in its 50 year history, eleven actors who have portrayed the time lord. The transition of one actor to another is even written into the overall storyline itself explaining it as regeneration. With each regeneration, the Doctor takes on a new body and new personality. Although different in appearance and unique onto themselves, each one keeps aspects of the character himself.
Doctor Who had a continuous run from 1963 to 1989 with a 1996 telefilm premiering seven years later. It has reached new heights in popularity when it returned to the BBC in 2005 with Christopher Eccleston taking on the mantel of the Doctor. Unlike many shows that were re-imagined during the 90’s and early 2000’s, Doctor Who picked up where they left off almost a decade earlier. No rebooting was necessary. He was welcomed with open arms.
Now, let’s meet all the Doctor’s…
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| 1st Doctor |
First Doctor: William Hartnell (1963 to 1966, 134 episodes)
The very first and one of the longest running Doctor’s of all-time. It was his failing health that led to his eventual departure and the inclusion of regeneration into the story line of the Doctor and all those who would follow.
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| 2nd & 3rd Doctors |
Second Doctor: Patrick Troughton (1966 to 1969, 119 episodes)
Third Doctor: Jon Pertwee (1970 to 1974, 128 episodes)
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| 4th Doctor |
Fourth Doctor: Tom Baker (1974 to 1981, 172 episodes)
The longest running Doctor of all-time. Tom Baker also has the one of the most memorable looks of any Doctor prior to or after him with his trademark scarf.
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| 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th Doctors |
Fifth Doctor: Peter Davison (1981 to 1984, 69 episodes)
Sixth Doctor: Colin Baker (1984 to 1986, 31 episodes)
Seventh Doctor: Sylvester McCoy (1987 to 1989 & 1996, 42 episodes)
Eighth Doctor: Paul McGann (1996, 1 Telefilm)
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| 9th Doctor |
Ninth Doctor: Christopher Eccleston (2005, 13 episodes)– Although only one season and shortest tenure of any Doctor (not including McGann), Eccleston will forever be known as the first Doctor of this current phase of the Dr. Who lore.
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| 10th Doctor |
Tenth Doctor: David Tennant (2005 to 2010, 48 episodes)– arguably the most popular of all the Doctor’s. David’s run as the Doctor was filled with some of the most poignant and sometimes most gut-wrenching story lines in the 50 year history of this character.
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| 11th Doctor |
Eleventh Doctor: Matt Smith (2010 to present, 45+ episodes)– The current Doctor whose popularity only rivals that of David Tennant, the man he replaced. Like one of his predecessors, Tom Baker, Matt Smith is known for bringing the cool back into wearing a bow tie.
DOCTOR WHO’S ADVERSARIES
There have been countless villains that Dr. Who has faced but some of the most iconic ones are and personal favorites are:
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| The Cybermen |
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| The Daleks |
The Daleks – The original adversary from 1963, The Daleks are a powerful robotic mutant cyborgs hell bent on the destruction of humanity and total universal domination. They are widely known for their catchphrase “Exterminate!”
The Cybermen – Dating back to 1966, the Cybermen is race of cyborgs whose only link to humanity is the brains of their victims. They are a cold and calculating race without emotions and remorse.
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| The Weeping Angels |
The Weeping Angels– The Weeping Angels made their debut in 2007 in the episode Blink. They don’t say anything and we don’t see them move but they would put the fear of God in anyone if you blink. They have been described as the most deadliest and most powerful of adversaries to the Doctor and his companions.
SOME FAMOUS DOCTOR WHO COMPANIONS
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| Susan Foreman |
Susan Foreman is the granddaughter and original companion of the First Doctor. She was played by Carole Ann Ford.
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| Rose Tyler |
Rose Tyler was introduced during the 2005 revival of the Who series. She became the companion of the ninth and tenth doctor. An instant fan favorite and one of the most compelling characters ever. She was played by Billie Piper.
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| Amy Pond & Rory Williams |
Amy Pond & Rory Williams first appeared in 2010, Amy and Rory began as an engaged couple who would later marry were companions to the eleventh Doctor. They happen to be my personal favorites because so much of Amy’s life from childhood to adulthood make up much of the story arc that begins during the fifth series to their departure in the seventh series. They were played by Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill respectively.
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| River Song |
River Song aka Melody Pond is the daughter of Amy and Rory. Because she was conceived on board the TARDIS as it traveled through the space-time vortex, Melody developed similar genetic traits to that of the Doctor’s own race, the Time Lords. She plays an important and vital role for the Doctor as she ends up becoming his wife which to say the least makes things very complicated. She is played by Alex Kingston.
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| Clara Oswald |
Clara Oswald is the latest companion for the eleventh incarnation of Dr. Who. She will be played by Jenna-Louise Coleman. Her first appearance was in the 2012 Christmas special called Snowman. She will continue through the remaining half of the seventh series and will be appearing alongside Matt Smith when the eighth series begins filming in September 2013.
It’s hard to summarize 50 years in a few paragraphs. You’re always bound to miss something but in the end the very essence of this character and those who followed him are captured within these words. To be talked about in the same vane as Star Trek and Star Wars proves that the longevity and global recognition that Doctor Who has achieved is a remarkable feat for any television series let alone a science fiction series. That is something to applaud and take notice of.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
